Get Involved in a CNUW Project
CNUW has several ongoing projects that anyone can participate in – contact us to get involved.
Phenology Observations: Phenology is nature’s calendar—when plants bloom, when a bird builds its nest, or when leaves turn color in the fall. Why monitor phenology? Changes in phenology events (like flowering and animal migration) are sensitive to climate change. View our Hummingbird Cam.
Solitary Bee Studies: The Sonoran Desert is home to over 1,000 species of bees – one of the highest concentrations in the world! We are developing methods to study their pollination and nesting behaviors.
Plant Propagation: We grow native plants and trees from seed for restoration projects around the valley. Other projects include seed bank studies and growing plants for our plant sale fundraiser.
Burrowing Owl Nests: Students track burrowing owl populations on campus, and assist with the construction and maintenance of artificial burrows.
Bird Surveys: Campus is listed as a birding hotspot on eBird (122 species and counting!). Routine monitoring helps us learn how populations change over time.
You can help us record biodiversity on campus
Download the eBird App and iNaturalist App to add in what organisms you see on campus. Citizen Science is an important way to contribute to long term monitoring.
CNUW’s partner organizations have seasonal research that students can participate in, including:
- Black-Footed Ferret Spotlighting
- Black-tailed Prairie Dog Trapping
- Cormorant Counts
- Small Mammal Trapping
- Colorado Pikeminnow & Roundtail Chub Harvest & Sorting
- The Mule Deer Foundation
- Buck Springs Allotment Fence Removal
- Bubbling Ponds Trail Maintenance